The Summer of Goodbyes
by rhapsody-of-dreams
Summary: People want her to be brave to say hello. Anna knows there is much more to life than that. When she is whooshed away to a respite in Radiator Springs for her weeks-long break, she realises that sometimes, life is about being brave enough to say goodbye. Rated T for safety.
1. Chapter 1

_The Summer of Goodbyes_

_The story begins. A tale unfolds. In the heat and vigour of summer, it is not always about the people you meet, at times, sadly, it is about saying your farewells..._

+ _lights against the asphalt +_

Anna was certain she would go berserk anytime now. The off-pitch shrieks from Luke and Noel at the back doing a rendition of Rascal Flatt's 'Life is A Highway' was not exactly pleasing to the ears, more or less it triggered her desire to strangle them there and then.

It started off as a simple project. An activity to gain extra credit. An event for them to perform community service so they could learn about all that morale and values that they were taught in class.

Ha, ha, ha, ha..._ha._

They were so, so, so wrong. Somehow, the administrators completely forgot about it and had it postponed until the last minute.

The evaluator was due to come next week to examine the results of the project. The teachers went into a frenzy and called up organisers and charity companies for available events. There weren't any. Everyone was panicking until a famous sponsor, Dinoco 400 contacted the principal that they were willing to take the students as temporary staff for the 2010 Piston Cup in Los Angeles. Held that very weekend.

The principal agreed in a flash. Meanwhile, the students groaned and grumbled when the news reached them, ruining their plans for the long-awaited end of the week after five gruelling days of school.

Like it or not, they had to go. So there they were, sitting in buses, doing whatever 16-year-olds did.

IPOD in her hand, Anna sighed in relief as her ears were plugged in to real music. Her eyes wandered to the dusty panorama outside, some cacti and tumbleweeds passing by. A car drove casually beside the bus. As it gained speed, it waved a tyre at her.

Anna jolted. Awkwardly, she raised a hand and waved back.

She still was not used to all of this.

Her previous History lessons came to mind, making her recall how the world changed before she was born.

* * *

_North Pole, Year 1801_

_He shivered under five layers of warmth as his shaking fingers attempted to tie the wires in the most delicate way possible. Cold winds nipped at his ankles, icicles literally hanging from nose. _

_Cold...so cold._

_NO! He would succeed! He'll show them! ALL OF THEM!_

"_The tools please!" he called to his assistant, E'jie._

_E'jie hurried to bring his master a tray of tweezers, different sizes for each one, struggling timidly to balance the tray with his frostbitten hands._

_The floor was too slippery. His momentum failed, gravity dragging him down...and he crashed chin-first on the solid icy ground, the contents of the tray bounced and scattered across the lab._

_The professor pivoted, stunned by the clamour._

"_FOOL!" he exclaimed. E'jie twiddled with his fingers in his guilt._

_When he looked up though, he realized the professor wasn't angry at him for dropping the tools. A tweezer, its tip smaller than his finger, was lodged in the centre of the machine his master built._

_Sparks burst from the damaged segment, the machinery shaking and shuddering in its position._

"_It's going to explode!" the professor dashed towards some crates with his helper. They covered their ears, bracing themselves for an incredible impact._

_The contraption popped, spluttered, coughing purple sparks, then strangely, it calmed down. There was not a single sound for seconds._

_Suddenly, a stream of light shot from its cracked, tweezer-infused heart towards an open space in the dim lab. A portal, large and swirling warped, revealing a panorama of a small, quaint town. _

"_EUREKAAAA! I have done it! At last, all barriers of physics or any kind of logic has been completely obliterated!" He let out a maniacal laugh._

_Before long, it became a world-known discovery and the history as well as its future was immensely changed._

"...And that is how living vehicles came into our world. Now, turn to the next page where we shall learn how the automotive industry revolutionised in Malaysia. You see, the..."

Anna stifled a yawn. Boring.

Her version of how it happened was way more interesting.

Why would it not?

The professor after all WAS her ancestor.

* * *

"WE ARE HERE!" Anna snapped from her sleep, grumbling under her breath.

Students gasped in awe as they stared at the spectacular building approaching them.

"Welcome to the Motor Speedway of the South," Steve said in his sassy mode.

Rolling her eyes, Anna's gaze glazed over the racing stadium, taking in its massive size and brilliant lights that illuminated the venue.

This was it. Their very first job.

* * *

It was bright.

It was showy.

Anna didn't have a problem with bright, showy or flashy.

But it was _yellow._

_Bright, flashy yellow._

"This colour is too bright. Everyone will be blind before the race even ends," Anna said casually, ensuing in an outburst of laughter from her classmates.

The girls were in their respective changing rooms while the boys were next door.

"Haha...you have to deal with it. The point of having it stand out is so they can even recognize you ARE the staff of the Piston Cup," Stevania remarked, slipping a jacket embellished with the Piston Cup symbols on.

Their uniforms consisted of a white t-shirt adorned by the school's emblem, topped with a yellow jacket with matching pants and white sneakers. A headset was provided too to make communication among themselves convenient.

The door was rapped and Stevania gave the signal to enter the room.

A yellow forklift, as radiant as their attires, whizzed past the door and called the girls to assemble near her.

"Good morning, ladies. I am Camedia, staff supervisor. I will be briefing you all on your tasks today."

* * *

Once the briefing ended, the students dispersed to their respective stations. The original staff of the race were present to monitor their actions and performances.

Of course, Anna thought, who in their right mind would trust kids like them to handle an important event like this?

She was in charge of the pit stops, making sure the tyres and other necessities were provided and recorded for the organisers' inventory. Anna knew that the Piston Cup comprised of 400 laps, meaning there was bound to be a period in the middle of the race where the race cars would stop for gas or change of tyres.

The crews had to be fast. Tyres replaced in split seconds with new ones. Oil drank. Tank filled.

And the leftovers of that; the worn tyres, empty cans of oil...she was responsible for ensuring those were cleared away to be exchanged with a new set. And it would go on and on until the laps were over.

A voice came through her headset. "Anna, do you copy? Do you copy?"

"Knock it off, Luke. We're not the police. Besides, I can hear you fine."

"Tyres, oil, and the other equipment are ready."

"Good, be on standby. The race starts in 30."

"Man, it'll be boring waiting here all night," another voice entered the conversation. It belonged to Noel.

"Don't even think of laying on the job. They're watching us. And you'll ruin the race! Do you want to face a bunch of angry cars? Sorry, you're on your own."

"Yeah, sure, sure. Then again, Luke and I have the best place in the entire stadium! Ha!" Like that, they signed off.

Anna let out a mumble of irritation. _Boys._

It was a similar matter with Steve. He was like the President of the entire school, despite being a sophomore in the school. Everyone respected and liked Steve. Even the teachers.

She would have liked him just as the others did if not only for one thing.

He was one heck of lazybutt.

She hated him for that. She recalled the day they had been briefed about the Piston Cup. Anna had moved to that particular school a year before so she was still pretty unfamiliar to its system and students. Steve summoned her to the teachers' staffroom.

A pile of papers and some files were dumped in front of her. "What are these?" She picked the documents up and skimmed through them. They were list of names of all the juniors in the school.

"I want you to organise all these students into respective stations for the Piston Cup."

"WHAT?! Isn't that the secretary's job?!"

"Yeah, but I want _you _to do it."

"What the-Are you kidding me? I just enrolled here last year! I barely even know my classmates! Let alone the entire form!"

"That is why you have the name lists here. I want it done by Thursday, in those blue files."

"But that's in two days! And I don't know how to organise them! Nor do I know what the students are capable of!"

"See me in the next class if you have any problems." He strolled away, waving at the distraught girl.

Her fingers gripped the papers that they crunched and creased, her anger reaching boiling point.

"STEEEVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

_Three sleep-deprived nights because of that incompetent jerk! I do all the work while he takes it easy! And he even had the nerve to goof off during our organizing discussion!_

_I'm going to-to-to-_

"Hey, kid! We need a new tyre set!" Anna snapped from her reverie, pivoting straight away to an exasperated green forklift no taller than her waist.

It was halfway through the race already?

"Ah...ah! Got it! Luke, Noel, send in the new sets for all the stops!" Anna fumbled with her headset.

"Roger that!"

"They're sending the new sets now."

"Yeah, thanks," the forklift answered in a half-annoyed tone, which made Anna more upset than she was. She had tried her best, given it her all, and yet she...

Her mother was right. She was nothing but a failure. How aggravating it felt to be so easily distracted. She couldn't do anything right.

She swore for the first time, loud and livid, the atrocious words drowned by the sounds of engines and cheers from a crowd of humans and anthropomorphic vehicles.

* * *

"WHERE THE HECK IS STEVE?!" Hellen, one of Anna's only close friends, shouted to thin air as she stalked down the corridor, a few pieces of paper in her clutch, startling some forklifts and cars.

After the race ended 3 hours ago, plus 2 hours of cleaning up, the students were formally relieved from their duties and positions. They lugged themselves to the dressing quarters, complaining about sore limbs and inexplicable fatigue. Some of them yawned aloud.

After they settled everything (Hellen eventually found Steve chatting up two cute teenage cars at a nearby eatery) with the organisers, they boarded the bus and headed back for the human world.

"Buckle up, everybody! It's going to be a long night!" the bus driver called from the front.

Anna sank in her seat, aches in every part of her body. The rows of streetlights outside faded slowly into blurry specks as exhaustion swept over her like a wave at sea.

* * *

Hello, this is my first Cars fanfiction. So please do be nice with me. I profusely apologize for any errors committed in this story.

For anyone's info, we don't really use grades; we use forms. So, for the characters in the story who have freshly enrolled in high school, they are all in Form 4.

And oh, why is it called 'The Summer of Goodbyes' when Malaysia has no summer? That is because this takes place during the August break, the time of the year when summer begins to set in other countries.

Thank you so much for your time and tell me your opinions about it!


	2. Chapter 2

_+ from 50 years before +_

"PARTYYYYYY!" Steve cheered, holding his glass of cherry juice high. Everyone in the karaoke room followed. "A toast to our recent success in the 2010 Piston Cup! Great work, everybody! Now, drink up!"

The room was specially booked for the entire of the Form 4; it was large and spacious, complete with a few plasma television sets and karaoke equipments. An assortment of snacks and drinks filled the tables, glistening under the small, dazzling lights that exuded a calm yet somewhat electrifying mood.

Anna rested comfily against a sofa, drink in hand. She wasn't a fan of social events like these, so she stayed in a secluded corner where no one would bother to notice. Unlike her best friends Hellen and Cindy who were actively mingling around, Anna had came to the fact that she was socially-inept.

"Yo, An!" Steve slid next to her, arm around her. She pushed him away, uncomfortable at such an intimate gesture, even though it was a common practice among her peers. "Wha'cha doing here alone? Go and enjoy the party! You were the one who put the most work in any way!"

"Yeah?" snapped the girl, "Whose fault was that?! You know how difficult it was organizing 150 students into a complete list?!"

"Oh. Calm down, girl. The race is over. Besides, it DID teach you how to be more efficient in work, right?"

"EFFICIENT IN WORK YOUR HEAD! COME HERE!" Before Anna could rise from her seat, Steve scurried towards the crowd, snickering as he did so.

Everyone burst into laughter at their humorous antics. After failing to get her hands on him, she eventually gave up and settled back into her seat.

"An, where are you vacationing this upcoming holiday?" Hellen prompted, sitting beside her.

"Uh, I want to try Avy's this time. I heard from grandma she moved to this little town near the Interstate, US two years ago. I didn't really go with the idea, but grandma told me to visit her any way."

"AVY?! Your cousin? Whoa, I have not seen her since 5 Christmases ago! How's she holding up?"

"She works as a diner waitress now. She told grandma her boss is nicer...and is a lady, thank goodness. Martha was her name."

"Oh, so the story about her last boss..."

"Yeah, he's in jail now."

"Well, you should pay her a visit. Besides, you two were like two peas in a pod when she still was living in Malaysia here."

"I was eight that time! She was like a big sister to me! I'm older now, okay?"

"So, that doesn't change the fact she's your cousin and she'll be always older than you. I would like to meet her again. She's totally cool."

"You wanna come with me?"

"Cindy?"

"Bet she'll say yes. Avy was her – no, our babysitter after all." Anna chuckled lowly.

"Count us in! Woohoo! Roadtrip!"

* * *

The journey was longer than they thought. Or imagined.

A day and half to reached the States, then a 5 – hour bus drive from the airport, not including stops along the way.

Anna felt like dying; precisely, she was already half-dead. She squirmed in her seat, her legs and arms feeling limp.

"Anna! We are HERE!" Cindy almost jumped from her seat, pointing to a small town the bus was coming close to. A large billboard passed them, inscribed with decorative words 'Welcome to Radiator Springs! Home to Lightning McQueen'.

"So, this is...Radiator Springs...," Anna gasped in awe.

The bus halted at a station and agitated passengers poured out of the vehicle. After the luggage were taken, Anna scoured the area, hoping to spot a 20-something woman in wait for them.

She spun on her heel when she heard her name being called.

"Wow...is that really Avy? She's so pretty...," Hellen gushed.

"Anna! It's been a long time!" She brought her arms outward to her cousin.

"Uh-uh, it's okay, no hu-

Too late. She already was in Avy's embrace. Gosh, how much she disliked such gestures.

"You've grown! So much taller than the last time I saw you!"

"I was eleven okay?!" She pried herself from Avy's arms.

"And these are Hellen and Cindy?" The older woman cast her glance to the teens behind Anna who were smiling sheepishly. "Oh gosh! Cindy is so pretty now! And Hellen? Aww, you've gotten chubbier! C'mon here, you two!" She brought them into a bear hug.

Anna let out a ladylike snort and rolled her eyes. Once their hug-fest was done, Avy ushered them to her car, a 2-door sedan and drove them towards the recently-built housing estate she resided in.

"Oh gosh, you're gonna love it here! It's peaceful and quiet...though, there's a time each year where the place gets a little busy! By the way, heard you guys were temporary staff for the Piston Cup?"

"Yup! And it was awesome! The race ended in a three-way tie between um – hmm...," Hellen paused, thinking hard, "err, I don't know their names, but I know one of the winners would have got his second Piston Cup if it wasn't for the tie!"

Avy chuckled. "Honey, it's Lightning McQueen. Radiator Springs' own racing star. Seriously, didn't you see the billboard outside town?"

"WHATTTT?!" Cindy and Hellen inquired in unison.

"And I thought that was his twin brother!" Cindy blurted. The car reverberated with the roar of laughter.

Anna was not putting any attention to their conversation at all. Her eyes wandered astray to the view of the expansive town, which formerly was accommodated by living vehicles. As times had changed, humans started their settlements and thus the merging of two entirely different species began.

She caught sight of people eating in a diner next to gas station. She saw cars exiting shops selling hardware and people visiting minimarkets and stores. She watched as people strolled down the road, they called out and greeted cars on the other side with amicable expressions which were responded with chirpy smiles and waves of tyres.

"Okay, here we are. Home sweet home." She then shifted her gaze to a looming two-storey house before her.

After they exited the car, Avy twisted the knob and welcomed the girls in. Anna could feel a soft breeze inside. It was cool and peaceful.

As they padded into the abode, Anna noticed the clash of simplicity and opulence. Wainscoted walls with subtle touches of exquisite architecture, rich embellished crimson curtains, carpeted floors...while the furniture was unadorned, plain but inviting.

"Cindy, Hellen, your rooms are upstairs." The both of them sprinted up the steps faster than anyone could say 'Piston Cup'.

"Wait, how about me?"

"You, my dear, get the room over here." She led her cousin to a bedroom on the first level, a quaint space facing the porch.

"Oh, nice. A great view of the road. Makes it easy for people to see me too." Her brows were upturned into a frown as she drew the curtains over the windows in front of the bed. She considered privacy a serious matter. There was also a study desk, a closet of middling size and a bookrack with a height that nearly touched the ceiling. An air-conditioner was installed at a nook of the ceiling.

"Don't worry, the curtains are made of pretty thick stuff. I even had a shelf moved in here because I knew how much you love books."

"I can't even remember the last time I had a chance to pick one up." Anna uncoiled the scarf from her neck and shed her jacket, plopping it on the bed. She slammed herself into the mattress, her exhausted muscles finally releasing tension against the soft, sinking material.

"You're in the pure Science stream now, right? How are you catching on?"

"Like a sloth. Or worse than that."

Avy could not suppress her laughter at that. "What? Then, why did you enrol in that class if you hate the subject?"

"Mum made me do it. She wants me to become a scientist like her and our ancestor, Professor Amptvorse. The least I could be, she told me, is a doctor. Like for real?! I can barely tolerate the sight of blood, and she wants me to be a doctor?! I think I'll be the one in the ICU!"

"It can't be that bad. How's Additional Maths doing its torture on you?"

"Dead."

Avy's lips curved into a smile as she chuckled at her cousin's inability to comprehend the killer subject.

"So, all this studying has got you occupied enough for you to not get a boyfriend then?"

"AVY. You know I don't plan to have one. Not any from my school, that is."

"What? Too immature? None you take a liking to yet?"

"They. Are. Literally. Monkeys. Not boys. Or humans, for that matter."

"Bet your school president is no different."

"Don't even get me started on that jerk! I hate him to the core of this world, to the centre of his cursed being!" The teen punched a pillow repeatedly, venting out.

Avy could not help but smile. Anna reminded her so much of her younger self.

"Well," Avy stood from the bed, "hope you'll enjoy the stay here. Have some rest, then I'll bring you three out for dinner at Martha's. I have to tell you, she makes the best sausages in town!"

The door shut quietly as she left the room. Letting out a huff, Anna turned her body and stared at the shelf inches from the bed. She saw racks of volumes, thick and thin, frayed and new, as thought it was done so to match the theme of the terrace.

Anna hopped to her feet and advanced toward the shelf. Spotting a particular pink faded book on the third level, she attempted to pull it out from the row. It was sandwiched hard enough between two novels. She tugged it with more force the second round and it came out loose.

Holding the delicate thing in her hand carefully, she flipped it opened. Its pages were yellow and would end up in tatters if not handled appropriately, though luckily, the handwriting was pretty much illegible and most of its contents were intact.

A photograph slipped out. Anna bent down to pick it up.

The photo was in black and white. In the picture, there was a girl and a car. They flashed the most joyous smiles Anna had seen, with the girl leaning close to the car.

"Wait, where have I seen this car before?"

From the corner of her eye, Anna saw Avy walking to the porch to water her flowers she planted through the window. She dashed to the panels, sliding it opened, letting gusts of cool wind to enter her room.

"Avy! Look what I fou-

She stopped.

Avy waved towards a car rolling past the estate. "Hey there, Doc!" she said.

"Good evening, Avy," was the reply in a gruff, deep tone.

Anna's gaze was riveted on him even as he drove away from sight. He did not notice her.

It was the same car in the photograph.

* * *

As you may have read, I did a bit of tinkering here and there. The timeline is set in 2010, 4 years after the first Cars events, meaning that Lightning is still actively participating in the Piston Cup before the canon Cars 2 movie.

And yes, Doc is still alive and healthy in here, for he will live and still lives on in every fanfic that others and I write.

Additional Maths is a subject that every student in Malaysia studies when he/she is enrolled in the Science stream upon entering high school. When I studied, it was the representation of one word in the entire of my life: Terror.


	3. Chapter 3

_+ page 1: house in the distance+_

_16__th__ June 1959_

_How long has it been since I left home?_

_Days? Weeks? Months?_

_Ah! All I know is that home will not be left etched in my mind soon; for a fresh start awaits ahead in America._

_When the ship disembarked by the piers, I was taken in amazement by the picturesque view in front of me. The sight of tall buildings, wondrous towers, vehicles of assorted shapes, sizes and colours...I was literally swept off my feet._

_Uncle Jian was already waving at me when I reached the ground. I relished in the steady sensation beneath me, after constantly putting up with rocky and undulating surfaces for the longest time._

_He took me around 'Urbania City', a developing site on its own where once verdant forests grew was substituted with a concrete jungle of offices and shops. _

_As we passed by some construction , I noticed an old, faded white house about to be reduced to debris._

_It appeared dilapidated and worn, but with some work, paint and love, it would be new all over again._

_So, I asked my uncle, "Why are they demolishing that house over there?"_

_And he replied, "No one probably wants it. That house looks old and unkempt. Everyone wants to settle in modern houses now. Erstwhile things like that...nobody cares about it. Might as well use the land under it to build more houses and factories for the country."_

_The large wrecking ball swung a few degrees to the back before it smashed into the edifice, chunks of wood and bricks scattering into the air, then falling and littering the ground around the building._

_My heart shattered as I watched it got torn apart, bit by bit, as though my very being was getting destroyed. _

_I let out a sigh as the car drove forward. _

_Why was everyone in such a hurry to forget the past?_

_After some hours, I met my Aunt Ching at their mansion. We had dinner and they told me about my future in America here. My father, apparently had informed them of his plans months before I was shipped here like cargo._

_He wanted me to work. _

_But why? I don't understand._

_There were as much job opportunities in Malaysia, plus he had a hardware company in his possession. Surely he could spare me a position there._

_Aunt Ching reassured me that she could get me job at a restaurant she owned. Language was certainly a problem since my speaking skills were not as proficient as my capability in writing._

_She found it very odd that my letters had perfect grammar yet when I spoke up, it sounded like a goose with a terrible flu._

"_Not to worry, Ping. As long as you can read the menu and understand what the customers say, you will be alright."_

_I pray hard it will go that way._

_Then, my aunt added, "This way, perhaps you can finally afford an education at that school for bright people like yourself."_

_What? I am getting confused by what my father actually wants._

_So, I told her I was not interested in that school where they taught science; I was in love with the idea of entering a teaching college._

_Uncle Jian and Aunt Ching laughed at me. I never felt so embarrassed in my life. Out of respect, I sat quietly, fuming in silence._

_Uncle Jian advised me that a teacher was a noble occupation, but not a profitable one. He said that I would be better off as a scientist or a doctor like my late ancestor, Proffesor Amptvorse._

_I have made some sense now from their discussion about my prospects._

_Father wanted me to become a woman of science. Continue the family legacy. In the recent generation of my family, only my eldest cousins managed to successfully become professors working in a lab in Russia._

_Oh, how nice. And I meant that sarcastically._

_I was informed I would begin working by Monday._

_Sincerely, I do not know what would happen from all of this. _

_Culture shock, difference in language, customs, etiquettes...I find myself lacking confidence to start work. _

_I wonder, how would I fare in the outside world beyond the safety of my chambers?_

* * *

For readers to know: This is an entry from the diary Anna found. The dates of each entry will not be in order even if the titles are. So, I hope you enjoyed it! :D

Disclaimer: Oops, looks like I accidentally left it out! _Cars is a precious belonging to John Lasseter and Pixar. _


	4. Chapter 4

+ _page 2: blue-eyed car+_

_20__th__ June 1959_

_What is this?_

_What kind of work is this?!_

_What kind of WORLD is this?!_

_How could any human possibly put up with such labour?!_

_I started my job this morning, fine and perky, and then everything went downhill from there._

_The diner opened at 8 but I had to be there early to set it up and clean it before people came in for breakfast._

_In the beginning, one or two customers entered. I took their orders down and they commented that Parlyvia had hired another worker. She laughed and said it was a favour for her boss._

_No one in my life has ever told me, "How cute this waitress of yours is."_

_After that, more customers came into the shop. Then, more and more and more until I lost count. The place was packed tighter than sardines in a can!_

_I had no idea that Aunt Ching's food business was THIS successful!_

_I took down order by order, sending them to tables in a whoosh, not to mentioned clearing the empty plates and cleaning tables to make way for new customers._

_And they all seemed to request for the same dish: Ching's Special Tomato Vermicelli. _

_It was as though vermicelli didn't exist in this place. Though, I later learnt that such a dish could not be obtained in restaurants here, it was not even sold in regular eateries in Malaysia!_

_As Parlyvia said, "Tomato vermicelli ain't tasty if it ain't home-cooked!"_

_I remembered on some rare occasions, my mother would buy a packet of glass vermicelli, some expensive sausages and a bottle of tomato sauce. She would boil the noodles in hot water before frying them with the juicy sausages, vegetables and the sauce._

_Emm...the very act of writing it out makes me crave for it. _

_Anyways, something far more interesting happened to me today._

_There is a prestigious medical school across the diner, where most of the customers come from. It would seem that it is a co-educational school for both humans and living vehicles._

_It was 11 that time and I was wiping the windows, my hands slow in motion from fatigue._

_Students poured from the institute ahead, looking as frazzled as I was, lugging themselves home. As the mass began to lessen, a car (whose colour was difficult to discern from the poor lighting) rolled out to the street, sluggish and stressed._

_My uncle had said that medical school was tough if you were not up for the challenge, but even though it was...I could not help feeling sorry for the little guy._

_His shape was somewhat odd...it looked a little bit shorter than the other cars I have seen._

_Though, I could make out only one thing in the dim of the night. His deep, blue eyes._

_They were brimming with sadness and disappointment and all those feelings that make you want to cry. I could feel he was trying hard to hide them but his eyes told it all._

_Since I have returned from work, the image of that car has carved into my mind like cork on a wine bottle. I wished I knew why he looked so depressed, so I could perhaps find a way to put a smile back on his lips. Or grille?_

_Blue-eyes...That sounds like a beautiful name for me to refer to him in the meantime. _

_Or Doctor! Since he studies in a medical school._

_For some strange reason, I want to see him again._

_You sighed, your fenders of defeat dragged on the road,_

_When will you know_

_That someone beyond your sight_

_Is curious about your thoughts?_

_Send me a letter, or a note,_

_So I can reply with a word of comfort._

* * *

Disclaimer: _Cars is rightfully owned by John Lasseter and Pixar._

Info: Fried tomato vermicelli is my favourite home-cooked dish! It is simple to make and delicious too!


	5. Chapter 5

+ _rhythm+_

Her eyes cracked opened, sore and red. She lifted her frame from the mountain of sheets and books. Her short black hair was in an unruly tangle and her clothes were wrinkled and creased. Dark bags sagged under her eyes.

What time did she drift off? Maybe 3?

She rubbed her eyes and let out a yawn. The diary was left on the bed shut as she headed into the bathroom next door to clean herself up.

During breakfast at Martha's, Anna showed the diary and photograph to her best friends. Seated in a rather isolated spot, they examined the photo in detail.

"Well, it does look like Doc, maybe a little resemblance there..."

"Hellen, it _is _him. I can feel it in my gut. I mean, it's not like all cars...look the same right?"

"If you are referring to the year they were manufactured and their models...hmm, maybe yeah."

"Who's the girl beside him? She looks like a total nerd. Like you, Anna! Ha!"

"I don't know. Avy put it in the shelf in my room. Could be her mum?"

"Impossible. I don't need to do the math to know that the person in this photo would be _wayyyy _older than your aunt now. She would be about...Doc's age," Cindy snorted.

"It's mentioned here that her name is Ping."

"Is your grandma's name Ping?"

"What? No – I mean, I'm not sure 'cause I never asked...oh, wait, you don't suppose..."

"Yep."

"NO."

"What?! She's nearly Doc's age!"

"N – O. _No._ Grandma told me she never left the country. She was raised in Malaysia and she studied in a local university. She met grandpa in a small shop and they got married after she graduated. There, end of the story."

"And you believed her?"

"Are you saying that my grandma lie-

Before the heat of the dialogue could fire up any further, Avy approached the table bringing their breakfasts. "Enjoy the meal! Martha made sure to make it extra delicious for you guys!" A sweet smile graced her lips.

The girls responded with wary smiles of their own like nothing happened. After she went to serve the others in the diner, Cindy rasped, "Look, I'm not saying your grandma is a liar. It's just...some things are not as we expect, you know? Like the previous 2010 Piston Cup. None of us saw that we would end up as its temporary personnel."

Anna squirmed in her seat. "Yeah. But I still believe her. She's precious to me. You guys know that-

"We know," Hellen interrupted. "She took care of you while your mum was away and your dad was teaching. You tell us every time."

A gleam of blue caught Anna's eye. "That's him!" Anna smacked her face against the large glass pane.

Doc Hudson, more famously known as the Fabulous Hudson Hornet, rolled to Flo's V8 Cafe next to the diner.

"That's him, isn't it?" Anna's eyes widened in innocence as a gasp elicited from her lips. She squished her cheeks harder against the rectangular window, as though she could ram through the glass and dash towards said car in a split second.

"We don't know. And it's wrong to say so without evidence," Hellen downed her orange juice. "And sit properly, An. You're going to make a scene."

"Guys, I'm really curious to solve this mystery! Come one, help me here," Anna pled.

"Well, are you up for it? You have a habit of complaining a lot and then, quitting halfway...

"You don't have to remind me. I'm serious this time."

"First of all, you need to ask Avy about it."

"Uhh...that is not going to happen."

"Why not?"

"Avy has a tendency to become paranoid. She becomes all naggy and scared when I say I want to try something new. Probably started when I tried jump off that closet at 8 years old thinking I was a bird...Besides! This is our little secret. Just for three of us."

"Okay...then you have to ask Doc about it."

"What?"

"Ask him about the photo. Do a little investigating using witty questions. You know, _talk._"

A lump went down her throat. Her palms sweated a bit.

"Umm...we don't necessarily have to do that, you know. We can try umm...more subtle methods!"

"Anna. Stop changing the subject. You have to learn."

"As if you don't know that I literally suck at socialising! You see me hanging out with other girls besides you guys? No! How can you expect me to talk to..._a car_?"

"That is why this is the perfect reason for you to start learning. It's going to be easy and fun! I don't think he bites too. Well, that's just an assumption, "Cindy waved her hand vaguely.

"No, no, no. We are not doing this."

"Then, what other way is there?" Hellen asked, tapping her foot.

"We can...can..." It hit her. It could work.

"Let's try sending notes. Like how Ping would have done!"

"How is that going to work?"

"Well, it would like be sending a love letter with clues. I write messages on a piece of paper, sending one each day, leading him, who will be completely oblivious to our plan, to me and then we can maybe talked about stuff, if that is possible, and get to finding info about the diary and photo. What do you think?"

"Okay, that sounds good for a start. But how we get the notes to Doc?"

Anna snapped her fingers in response.

* * *

"Do you see him?"

"No...AH! Target sighted! On your 1 o'clock, An!"

"Here goes!" The teen tossed the blue paper plane into the air, hoping the weather would be breezy enough to carry it to him. It soared majestically towards the infinite blue, as it gained thrust from the wind, it swooped low, nearing the navy blue Hornet...

...only to be carried off by the flow of a strong gust far, far, _far _away.

The girls groaned in exasperation.

"Plan B!"

This time, they spotted him heading towards his clinic. He halted when another fellow car greeted him. Soon, they were engaged into a conversation.

"Okay, let's go, baby."

Anna threw the origami aircraft into the air as a gust of wind ripped through. It flew upward, did a loop-de-loop, and fell into a tree.

Anna slapped a palm across her face. "Plan C!" she said resolutely.

The third attempt took place behind one of the cones at the Cozy Cone motel. Doc and Lightning were opposite the motel, having an invigorating drink after a few hours of intense training.

Anna aimed with accuracy, her sight focused on but one car...and the handmade plane took flight, heading straight towards the target. Anna and her friends could rejoice until...

...it missed and landed at Flo's tyres instead.

"Why, I'll be! Somebody's been busy playing all day!" She unfolded the piece of paper as cautiously as she was able to.

"What does it say, baby?" her husband, Ramone asked.

"Oh, my...," she trailed off as she read the note. Her features illuminated with happiness. "Beauty in you shines like a star, No matter how old you are, Because you are my heart's star."

The cars present at the gas station went 'Aww.' Meanwhile, Anna banged her head continuously against the gigantic cone.

"What the fr – We had it fine!"

Cindy sighed. "Rome wasn't built in a day, you know."

Anna grunted, her ears turning red from the heat.

_Are you really giving up now, my child? This is just the third try after all. You have a whole day still. _

_Yeah, Conscience. And do more flops? Sorry, but this activity isn't exactly energy-saving._

_Sit down. Inhale. Exhale. Think. Do you think that Hudson Hornet over there, who crashed in 1955, has not gone through plenty? And look, he's a judge, doctor and racing expert now! He may have given up racing before he met Lightning, but how about studying medicine? Did you really assume it was easy for him?_

_...No. Medicine is difficult if you are not up for it. I know because Rokio told me before._

_And you are giving up now after a few failures?_

_...No._

_Go get him, my dear._

"Anna? What's the plan next?" Hellen asked. Anna saw cars around Flo teasing her about a secret admirer while Ramone did not appeared too pleased about the whole idea.

"We continue sending notes."

"What? All day?"

"Yep. Until it gets to him."

* * *

29 attempts later and the girls were reaching their limits. They literally darted from one building to another, staying hidden from any prying eyes, especially the Sheriff's.

They followed Doc through the entire town and practically had covered the vicinity in almost a day. Their operations were growing less and less clandestine too, as Sheriff and the other residents of Radiator Springs were paying attention to the number of blue paper planes found in the most random of places.

Anna heaved, wiping sweat from her temple. They took cover behind Martha's and watched Doc chatting with some new visitors from Australia at Flo's (Seriously, how many times does he stop there?). The sun was sinking towards the west, retrieving its rays of light, leaving shadows to dominate the land slowly.

She was supposed to be at home, preparing dinner with her friends. Anna sighed. Instead, here they were, sweaty and out of breath hiding behind a diner.

Her hands shook as she lifted the plane. It was a little crumpled from being in her bag for too long.

"I pray, you will make it through," she whispered, pecked it and let it slid off her hands into the air. It flew shakily at first from the weak streams of wind and miraculously, it lowered in Doc's direction, fluttering to his tyres.

Unfortunately, it did not.

Instead, it crashed directly into his eye.

"Ow!" the Hornet groaned as he blinked back the pain.

"Crap!" Her fatigue forgotten, she rushed to him, weaving between tables and customers who were enjoying dinner. "Doctor Hudson! Are you okay?! I'm so sorry, I didn't mean for it to hit your eye!"

"Why in the world were you doing something like tha..." When Doc finally opened his eyes, he was stopped and stared at her.

"Um...I'm...sorry?" she blurted awkwardly, taken aback by his piercing cerulean orbs boring holes into hers.

"Are you new around here? I don't think I've seen you."

"Um...I'm Avy's cousin."

"Avy?! When did you arrive here?"

"Yesterday?" She let out a weak laugh. _Oh gosh, I'm really talking to him!_

"What's this?" Doc picked up the paper plane that had slid off his hood when it flew into his eye.

"Ah! No! That's actually..."

The paper rustled as he unfolded it. He then read aloud, "Your eyes are blue like the sea, your voice sets comfort in me, I have been wondering since, Could you be friends with me?"

"Ah – Ah – That...actually I –

"Sure, kid. I'll be happy to get to know you," Doc immediately answered. He chuckled in a gruff voice, smiling warmly at her.

Anna's heart skipped a beat. Her cheeks flushed.

"Ah, wow, um...thank you...sir."

"Call me Doc. What's your name by the way?"

"A –

Before she could reply, she felt a sudden pull at her arm, throwing her backwards and nearly losing her balance.

"Anna! I thought I told you to not stay after sunset!" Avy reminded her worriedly.

"A – Avy?"

"So sorry, Doc. I gotta get this girls home now." She turned to a plump lady in a green dress with an apron serving customers sitting outside the diner. "Martha, I'm taking a 30-minute break!" The lady gave her an approving nod.

"Come on, Anna. I'll make dinner for the three of you." She ushered Cindy, Hellen and a very disappointed Anna into her car and drove off just as the sun disappeared behind the horizon.

* * *

_What do you know? Cars can get hurt at their windshields...hahaha XD_

_Credit: Inspired by Paperman, Disney. Just love the idea of paper planes to send messages of love across to a beloved one._

_And Anna has an imaginary conversation with the 'voice' inside her mind, namely her Conscience. Yes, I think we all do this sometimes._


	6. Chapter 6

+ _flour+_

"No."

"Yes."

"Stuff it back into that demented mind of yours. Now."

"No. You are going to do it?"

"Do you want me to whip out my endless list of swear words?"

"Ye-I mean, no. An, my dad's extra strict about that. He even hand picks the movies I watched nowadays."

"I watched plenty of them because my parents don't restrict my rights."

"So that's how you know pirate talk."

"I thought you watch stuff like Thomas the Train or something like that."

"NO!" Anna's face was red either, from anger or embarrassment she didn't know.

"Sesame Street? My Little Pony?"

"Quit it, Hellen."

"Anna. You must do this. It's a starting boost."

"I don't need it. I like to take things slow. Why do I even need to do this?"

"To show your appreciation and to express apology for what happened yesterday. By the way, slow in your terms mean not taking any initiative at all and sitting all day daydreaming like a crazed fangirl."

"Cindy," Anna's tone was dangerous.

"Anna," Cindy growled in response.

In reluctance and irritation, Anna snatched the packet of flour, ripped it opened until its contents could spill and poured some of it into the large stainless steel bowl.

Cindy and Hellen slapped high-fives.

The first attempt of Anna's cupcake-making lesson was horrifying.

When it was tasted, Hellen commented, "It tastes like sandpaper, needs more sugar, more flour to make it rise, what the heck am I even saying, throw that thing in the dump, FAIL!"

Cindy seconded that.

When Anna tried baking for the second time, it was more than okay but less than better.

It was Cindy's turn to try it. She took a bite and munched on it. The pastry instantly crumbled inside her mouth.

"Tastes like...crap."

She was pelted with lousy cupcakes after that.

"Okay! This one is wonderful! Not too much sweet, enough flour and butter, and it's puffy and soft!" Hellen licked her fingers.

Anna allowed relief to sweep over her exhausted form.

It was the fifth time she had baked those cursed cakes and she swore to herself she never wanted to see flour or sprinkles again.

"Now we just have to deliver them," Cindy smirked, a scheme cooking behind it.

It was after sunset when everyone had retired into their homes and was having dinner. Some of the vehicle residents of Radiator Springs gathered at Flo's.

Unbeknownst to them, three figures flitted in the darkness of the night, bushes rustling and gravel grating as they darted from one place to another. They ducked under the shadows so nobody, especially Sheriff Carson would notice them pulling their little 'scheme'.

"Are you sure about this?" Anna rasped under her breath. "What if Avy finds us out? I will so dead."

They hid behind Doc's clinic. The building was dark and unoccupied for the ex-racer had gone off to the Willy's Butte to train his student, Lightning. Night was always the best time to train since the weather would be cooler and it would be exactly like in the real races.

Hellen even managed to hum the 'Mission Impossible' theme song as they crept to the clinic like criminals about to pull a heist.

"Of course. We've done this many times. Don't worry about Avy, I told her via text that we were having silent reading time so she won't disturb us," Cindy responded, tinkering with the wooden garage door. "Wow, Doc is pretty touchy with his stuff. Look at all the 'No Enter', 'Stay Out' and 'Private Property' signs on his garage door. I can see why you like him alright." Cindy sniggered.

As she gave it a push, the door creaked opened. The girls peered into what seemed like infinite darkness.

A musty, dusty smell drifted to the outside and the girls stifled their coughs as they pinched their noses.

"Ugh! And he needs an emergency garage cleanup!" Hellen choked. Her voice sounded squeaky and comical.

Cautiously, they stepped inside. Cindy made sure to leave the door slightly opened in case they needed to make a quick escape if they were somehow caught, which she hoped they wouldn't get.

Hellen nearly tripped over something heavy and cold. It fell to the ground with a clang.

"Shh! We have to be QUIET!" Anna reminded.

"Sorry. Not my fault that thing was in the way. Doc should get this place cleaned up. It looks like a dump."

"Smells like one too."

Anna whipped around to face Cindy, nearly making Cindy trip.

"Well, almost. But not, definitely, not one at all. Happy, Miss Grumpy?"

Satisfied, they treaded carefully until they reached the clinic itself where Doc treated and examined the patients. It was dark, except for the shadows that danced on the walls and floors from the lights outside.

Anna took out a small box embellished with small hearts and a red ribbon tied fancily around it. The chocolate cupcakes with vanilla frosting were inside, neatly arranged.

She squinted to find a perfect location for it in the room's dimness.

"What's taking you so long?" Cindy asked, her head darting from the window to her friend.

"I can't find a place where he can actually see the package." Anna groped around looking for a table of some sort. She was unfamiliar with the surroundings and everything she touched was of an odd shape or something.

"It feels like I found a wrench."

There was a bang behind them. They turned to look at Hellen, rubbing her temple sorely.

"I think I crashed into some kind of machine."

"Well, hurry up! Doc will be back soon and when he does-

There were indistinct voices outside. Cindy peeked through the round window on the main doors.

"Crap! It's Doc!"

"What do we do?!" Anna was alarmed.

"Abort mission! Abort mission!" Hellen scrambled to the garage, Cindy tagging behind.

"Anna! Leave it somewhere and get moving!" Cindy said with a pitch a tad higher than her usual one.

Panicked, Anna placed the box on the floor, some distance away from the doors. Then, she dashed down the corridor to the back of the building, in darkness and found her way back to Cindy and Hellen who were waiting for her at the exit. Once she sprinted through, they closed it and remained silent.

There was a click and a creak as the door was unlocked and pushed opened. The light was flipped on and muffled voices filled the room.

Cindy edged closer from the shadows and tried hard to listen on to their conversation. Anna and Hellen leaned in to her, doing the same.

"Whoa, someone left you a late night gift, Doc! Looks like you're pretty popular, for an old race car," Lightning said.

"Knock it off, hot rod. Bet they are from Flo. Oatmeal cookies. She makes them every year for me," Doc mumbled.

There was a shuffle as the ribbon was untied and the cover of the box popped opened.

Anna literally wanted to scream her heart out. Her heart was beating fast and her cheeks were turning red.

They heard Lightning's loud chuckle. "Chocolate cupcakes with vanilla frosting? Seems like you have a secret admirer, Doc!" A munch. "Hmm. Needs more sugar though."

"Alright, rookie. Go back and rest. We start training again by six tomorrow. Don't be late."

Lightning left the building, bits of chocolate stuck near his mouth. The doors closed. Not a sound.

"Doc didn't say anything about the cupcakes?" Cindy's expression scrunched. "That shouldn't have happened."

"Maybe he doesn't like them," Anna replied, glumly. Her shoulders, unconsciously, slumped.

"No, no, no. I'm sure he does. He doesn't want to admit it probably," Hellen interrupted.

"Stop your coaxing, Hellen. It's not working." Anna rose and stalked off, silent.

"Oh, boy." Hellen was about to go after Anna when Cindy stretched an arm before her, halting her action.

_Munch. Munch. Munch. _"Wait!" Cindy hissed.

"These are good." They heard it. Clear and happy.

"Why didn't he say that sooner?!" Hellen grumbled, clenching her fists. She leaned against the garage door.

Cindy sighed. Her gaze lifted to the star-lit sky. "Well, at least we know now that we can break into a judge's house."

Hellen froze. "Holy crap! He's the local judge? Let's get out of here before he sentences us to jail!" Her sneakers shuffled on the concrete as she got up in a hasty fashion and darted down the street with a giggling Cindy by her side.

**A/N: So, what do you think?**


	7. Chapter 7

_+page 3: a night excursion+_

_1959_

_It had never crossed my mind that I would do something so __**BOLD.**_

_It was past midnight when I finished work. The students from the med school across the shop had left hours ago. The time had come._

_After I latched and locked the shop up, I went down the lonely road, dimly-lit with a few streetlights. I knew it was horribly dangerous for a girl to be walking in the dark like this but it had to be done._

_I finally arrived at the quarters the Doctor resided. It was a three-storey building, smaller than Uncle's house. Cobwebs were hanging in the corners and the paint looked a little faded...even the light in front of the stairs was flickering._

_I sneaked towards the open window of the first apartment and peeped inside. _

_I nearly squealed when I realised it was HIS room! I shot down hurriedly and cupped my mouth. And waited. And waited._

_I only heard loud snoring._

_Okay, so he snores really loud. How old is he?_

_I looked inside again. The place was pretty messy and strewn with books and papers. It looked like it was owned by a mad scientist. I also noticed how small and compact it was. There was just a living room, a small kitchen and a bathroom. The walls were dull and blank except for a phone attached to one of its corners._

_The Doctor was sleeping in the centre, books scattered near him. He seemed to be shivering underneath a thin blanket. Why didn't he close the windows then?_

_The cans of oil in my hands were getting cold in my hands. I knew I couldn't stay long. If I did, I might get caught by the police._

_So, I did the craziest crime ever. I broke in._

_I climbed through the window and landed onto the soft ground. As quiet as possible, I placed the cans of oil next to him. I stared at his sleeping form for minutes. He looked so adorable! All blue and peaceful and cute...okay, must stop that._

_As I was about to backed away, my back bumped into a stack of books and they toppled down with a loud crash! I panicked when they fell and worse, the Doctor was stirring!_

_Quickly, I literally jumped through the window, in a very unladylike way, and sprinted down the streets. I called my uncle to pick me up. He scolded me and asked why did I finished work so slowly. I merely smiled weakly and shrugged._

_I don't know what to say about the narrow escape back there. If he had woken up on the spot, he would have assumed I was thief! Or perhaps worst? _

_Though, I hope he liked the note I left with the cans of oil. It's just a simple message to get him going for the day, a few uplifting words to make him happy._

_Well, I'm bushed now. Goodnight._

* * *

**A/N: Sorry this is such a short chapter! I was low on ideas since I'm still not so familiar on telling a story from a point where you write it like in a diary. I'll try to get my mojo back on since my next paper is in...4 more days? Haha...well, I promised the next chapter will be far more insightful! :D**

Thanks for staying with me all along!


	8. Chapter 8

_+rain+_

Birds nestled in nests tucked away behind thick foliage as gusts of wind rolled into the cavernous canyons. The bubbling of water from the falls grew deeper and eerie as dark clouds loomed in a distance, a message of impending rain.

Trees danced and swayed and creaked. Leaves swept across the ground in crazy swirls. The girl that cycled up the mountain paid no heed to the change in weather overhead.

A scowl was etched on her visage.

She eventually stopped before she could reach the Wheel Wall Motel. She saw plenty of cars and humans crowding the area. She felt suffocated enough.

She rested under a large tree with leaves so thick they reminded her of an umbrella.

A rumble reverberated above. A thin stream of icy wind sent shivers down her spine. Anna wrapped the sweater tighter around her. She wasn't going to go back now, not ever. Not after what Avy said.

She had an argument with Avy that morning. Somehow, one way or another, Avy had heard that she and the girls snuck out late last night to do some hanky-panky around town. When Anna was confronted by her cousin, she tried bluffing her way through it, hoping that she would take the bait and leave her alone about it. Sadly, Avy was an expert in interpreting expressions and body language, plus the fact Anna didn't make much of a good liar, so Anna received a smack as punishment.

In return, Anna spat some horrid words to her cousin. She even brought up a forbidden topic, a subject of discussion that she shouldn't and head on slapped it back into her cousin's face out of fury.

The amount of hurt on Avy's expression was undeniable.

She grabbed her coat and shakily said, "Behave. I'm going back to work. Make your own dinner."

The door closed silently behind her, as silent as her disappearing back.

Anna kicked the table.

"What was going on here?" Cindy came into the kitchen, groggy from her afternoon nap.

"I'M GOING OUT!" The door slammed, leaving quakes in her tow.

And here she was. Pathetic.

Why was it always her fault?! Why was she always so reckless and impulsive?!

Sutpidstupidstupidstupidstupidyouaresuchanidiot!

Droplets fell on her hair, sliding down her cheeks all the way to her chin. It left dark blotches on her jacket and pants.

One time, she was like this. A lone girl sitting in the rain, crying, bawling, _sobbing. _Dripping and shivering from the rain, tears spilling, no one giving her any heed.

She had recently moved to the city. The neighbouring residents often scoffed and sneered at her family background. Her father was studying for his Masters and her mother was a scientist somewhere far, far away. The government had relocated both of them to the city for more convenient contact with her mother, _if _she ever came back to visit them.

Anna hardly remembered her mother.

Her father managed her single-handedly, with aid from his mother-in-law.

When she enrolled in the kindergarten, nobody wanted to play with her. She was extremely shy and reserved, mingling with others was a difficulty. The girls she tried to approach made fun of her and called her a peasant, a word Anna loathed when she learned how to read. The boys jeered at her and pulled at her hair, splashed paint on her dress and hung her bag on a tree. She spent hours just trying to get it down. She couldn't just leave it there; it was a gift from her father for her 6th birthday.

By the time she got down, albeit jumping off the branch, which had scraped her elbows and knees, there was no one around. Then, rain fell and she was stranded under the tree.

She remembered how scared she was, and she cried, "Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!" but she knew better that he would not come. He was at the university, revising his butt off. Her grandmother wouldn't come until later in the afternoon when classes ended.

She curled between the large roots of the trees, hugging her bag and cried. Her elbows and knees stung. She didn't know what it was called. She didn't know why she was crying, only she needed to cry it out.

Laughter pierced the heavy patter of the downpour.

"Cindy, are you sure this is okay? If the teacher sees us, she'll-

"Don't be such a wet blanket, Hellen! This is the only time we can play in the mud! Edgar doesn't even let me out in rainy days like this!"

Anna's eyes fell on two girls around her age, standing in the rain. One was dressed in red, the other in lovely purple.

The girl in red started kicking and sinking her hands in the mud, then waving them around that mounds of it splattered everywhere.

"Ew! Stop it, Cindy! This is my favourite dress!" The girl wearing the green dress stared at the horrible brown stain unhappily.

"Every dress is your favourite, Hellen! You can wash it off with water or something. Just enjoy the rain!" The girl in red squirted rainwater at her companion. The latter squealed and did the same.

It wasn't long before Hellen took notice of a spot of blue by the oak tree at the end of the compound. "Cin, someone's there!" She snatched her friend and pointed to the tree. Anna flinched. She shuddered. What were they going to do? Would they laugh and make fun of her like the other girls did? Or worse?

She pulled her bag closer and looked down, pretending to not have seen them.

Cindy approached the tree cautiously. "It's just a girl, Hellen! You are such a scaredy-cat!"

Hellen hid behind her friend's back, peeking occasionally at the wet, messy stranger.

"Hi, my name's Cindy! What's yours?" the girl in red asked. She extended a hand to Anna. She hesitated to respond.

"Do you think she's a mute?" Hellen whispered into Cindy's ear. Cindy elbowed her in the stomach.

"A-A-Anna...," she finally replied, burying her head into the bag.

"Really? That's an awesome cute name! This is Hellen, my best friend. She's shy."

"Hi," Hellen squeaked from behind Cindy. "Oh!" She went down on her knees and inspected Anna nearer. Anna turned red.

"Your knees and elbows are bloody. Did you hurt yourself?" Hellen asked.

Anna nodded slowly.

"Come. We'll take you to the nurse. She'll make you feel better. And Cindy can get herself _clean_." Hellen narrowed her gaze at her mud-covered friend.

"What? It's healthy to be in a mud! I saw on TV once where they use mud masks to make girls beautiful!" Cindy grabbed a handful of mud and smeared it all over her face. "See? I'm pretty now! Your turn, Hellen!" She tossed some mud towards Hellen. Bits of it splashed on her face.

She scrunched in disgust. "Ugh! Drop it!" Hellen, annoyed, took a scoopful of wet earth and hurled it at her friend. She hit a home run when it hit Cindy's face and dress. It dripped from her face in sploshy blobs like melted icing.

"Two can play that game!" It soon turned into a competition. They simply snatched handfuls of mud and threw it at each other, laughing and giggling like there wasn't a care in the world.

"Come on! Let's get you to the nurse as we run under the rain!" Cindy stretched a hand to her. Anna did not hesitate this time. She accepted the offer, with her bag slung around her shoulder, the pain disappearing as she picked herself up.

It was the greatest day of her life. Although they had to stand outside the class as punishment for skipping class, a bond had formed and nothing could separate the three of them since.

Anna opened her eyes. They felt warm and moist.

She could make out the sun, peeking from behind dark clouds, slivers of light shining on the tree she was resting against. It felt comforting and safe.

The incident from this morning surfaced in her mind. She looked at her bicycle. Then, she looked at the sky. And the hotel.

Lastly, she turned to the landscape next to her. Breathtaking; the canyons and mountains coming into view, the greenery shimmering under the sky, the roads winding and twisting like a long grey snake cutting through the panorama, the vehicles heading for the Interstate in small dotting lines, the breeze in her hair, the fragrance of dew and fresh grass.

Soaked and uncomfortable, she mounted her bicycle and made her way back to town. She planned to make a delicious dinner that night (with Cindy's and Hellen's help) to make up to her cousin. Apology was an utmost necessity.


End file.
